Just crazy enough to work?
I have to admit, that seems to make a lot of sense. It might serve to clear the muddy waters for NASA a bit...maybe even a lot. If the dollar amount of their budget could survive more or less intact, imagine what they could do.
The Chinese manned space effort is under the auspices of their military, isn't it? If so, what would be the rationale for saying we can't do the same?
I can't begin to imagine the paperwork that'd be generated in the transfer, but then the govt isn't afraid of paperwork, is it?